Headlines continue to emerge about the state of literacy in our country and the changes taking place in our classrooms. But what do all the terms that are bandied about actually mean? With children newly back to schools around the…
Literacy expert Chris Thornley on how the desire to read must be nurtured by providing learners with books that reflect their cultures, languages and identities Learning to read is high on the list of expectations for children starting school. Their…
Samantha Montgomerie examines New Zealand’s literacy crisis. News of our plummeting literacy rates shadows our long white cloud. It would seem our meadow has not been cultivated to allow the seeds of literacy to thrive. Promises of a structured literacy…
Rochelle Turnbull and Julia Smith share SLANZA’s research on the scarcity of libraries within New Zealand schools, and the impact that has on our children. It may surprise you to learn that not every public school in New Zealand has…
Belinda Whyte, herself an RT Lit, outlines the impact of the disestablishment of the role for students and schools. This article is called a ‘reckoning’ and that feels apt for what I’ve been asked to offer my reckons on. The…
There is a multitude of resources available for Aotearoa children’s books and The Sapling has collated as many as we can find all in one handy place! We’ve also included a non-exhaustive list of other places to find non-book-specific resources….
Frank Wilson is an initial education lecturer at Te Herenga Waka and works for the Aotearoa Social Studies Educators’ Network. Here she explores two new Aotearoa histories texts through the lens of a critical literacy framework in light of the…
New research on teaching Māori language in English-medium schools could make a huge impact on how te reo Māori is delivered in New Zealand classrooms. For Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, Kura Rutherford reflects on the research, and asks…